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Newcastle City Council have released a statement about the agreement of budget proposals, including amending some previous proposals, to save the city council 100 million pounds.

To read more about the proposed council cuts, and the previous opposition that that have faced, click here.

The scale and unfair nature of the Government cuts that the council is facing is eye watering. That is why we have set out to be open and honest about what the Government’s austerity programme means in practice, and why we are looking three years ahead at the impact of the cuts we will have to implement.

“This has attracted a lot of comment - quite understandably - but I believe it is important to be frank about what the city faces so we can work together in good time to try to find alternatives.

– Councillor Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council

“I am proud of the spirited response from our communities which will enable some facilities and services to continue whilst we set about trying to minimise the 1,300 job losses in the council - but no one should be mistaken about the scale of the challenge public services face.

“Our proposals focus on protecting the most vulnerable such as older people with dementia and children at risk of violent or sexual abuse; set a balanced budget as we must do by law, and invest £450m through our capital programme to show investors that we are serious about making Newcastle a working city."

– Councillor Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council

“Getting people into work is one of the best ways we will deal with the challenges of the future.”

The cabinet of Newcastle City Council has today agreed proposals to make cuts and savings of one hundred million pounds.

Budget cuts, including the proposed closures of libraries across the city, have faced increasing opposition and protest from the public in recent months.

The council has since announced that it has modified its proposals, including:

Saving some libraries from closure

Safeguarding the future of the City Hall

Keeping Castle Dene and Cheviot View respite centres open

Continuing free parking in council multi-storey car parks after 5pm

The council has said that it has to make the 100 million pounds worth of savings to make up for a 48 million pound cut in Government grant and 52 million pounds of cost pressures the council must meet.